LOCAL YOUNGSTERS STAR IN `42ND STREET'.

Byline: MARK KELLAM Valley News Writer

For the past four months, a large group of children have been tapping into talents they may not have known they had.

For the next two weekends, they'll be showing what they've learned as they sing, act and tap dance in a production of ``42nd Street.''

The Golden Performing Arts Center is producing the musical at the Madrid Theatre in Canoga Park. The production features six casts of performers who range from 7 to 14 years old.

It's the culmination of an extensive musical theater workshop, said Shelli Miller, executive director of the Golden Performing Arts Center, which has a studio in West Hills.

``It is really quite remarkable to see all the tap dancing these kids have learned over the past four months,'' Miller said.

``42nd Street'' features well-known songs such as ``Lullaby of Broadway,'' ``You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me'' and, of course, the title tune.

Director Dan Davis, choreographer Amber McGindley and music director Andrea Gaspar worked initially with three casts at time, teaching them the songs, dances and staging.

At two weeks out, two casts at a time went into the Madrid Theatre to position the dancers for the musical numbers and then each cast began rehearsing separately.

Showtimes will be at 7 p.m. May 25-28 and June 1-3; 2 p.m. May 27, 28 and June 3; and 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. June 4.

Cast members, who come from throughout the Valley, are:

CAST A -- Ava Ascarrunz, Ariel Beesley, Ariella Blum-Lemberg, Giselle Boustani, Olivia Brennan, Chellsey Cruz, Chelsea Daniels, Paige Daniels, Molly Davis, Abigail Eisenberg, Samantha Evans, Annie Gaudioz-Young, Emma Giulianti, Lindsay Kazan, Montana Lara, Miranda Lichtman, Spencer Lichtman, Bailey Maatita, Bianca Morris, Madison Oberg, Courtney Pitillo, Joshua Shapiro, Paige Tendler, Chris Walker, Max Ward, Joshua Wortsman

CAST B -- Carly Cohen, Chellsey Cruz, Molly Davis, Andy Dubick, Michelle Durand, Kayla Elias, Brianna Feingold, Ethan Goldberg, Alison Handel, Elana Hanen, Bailey Harrisberger, Lindsay Holcomb, Catie Kovelman, Alexandra Kunin, Marlon Meyerson, Sarah Naftulin, Courtney Pitillo, Andrea Seideman, Lynsey Sobel, Kayla Speck, Shayna Spielman, Alexis Strauss, Danielle Strauss, Chris Walker, Jenny Winer

CAST C -- Dana Aiken, Amanda Becker, Kevin Carter, Madison Carter, Michael Carter, Amanda Crane, Lisa Durand, Michelle Durand, Rachael Dyck, Sam Dyck, Jennifer Fineman, Bailey Harrisberger, Samantha Heimler, Eli Hoffman, Alicia Kinsellagh, Lauren Kinsellagh, Jake Lipton, Haley Lit, Hannah Ponturo, Michelle Rainey, Daniel Roberts, Samantha Rubin, Natasha Sill, Sydney Waco, Marisa Weinberg

CAST D -- Doreen Abargel, Eden Bennun, Trevor Berger, Emily Boone, Briana Boyarsky, Jacqueline Bray, Meirav Cafri, Lindsay Feder, Matthew Feder, Danielle Glasscock, Chad Heflin, Arianna Hewitt, Douglas Kmiotek, Kristen Lifter, Makena Metz, Marlon Meyerson, Tiffany Schneider, Shannon Seufert, Amy Shipow, Rachel Snyder, Molly Tomer, Aidan Wahl, Alli Wayne

CAST E -- Coleman Albright, Cara Auerbach, Ariel Beesley, Molly Davis, Brianna Feingold, Annie Gaudioz-Young, Molly Helfend, Samantha Holmes, Dakota Kahn, Matthew Kesner, Abby Klitzner, Danielle Kolker, Spencer Lichtman, Carly Mayer, Jensen McRae, Megan Metz, Alex Naylor, Shannon Seufert, Rotem Tamir

CAST F -- Trevor Berger, Emily Boone, Meirav Cafri, Alejandro Cerda, Christopher Cerda, Nicholas Cerda, Brianna Feingold, Devorah Gold, Emily Grossman, Julianna Heldt, Brittany Hope, Courtney Kazan, Lindsay Kazan, Shannon Kazan, Emily Kramer, Jake Lipton, Carisa Marconet, Margarita Rodriguez, Rebecca Serot, Noam Soffer, Alyssa Weakley.

The Madrid Theatre is located at 21622 Sherman Way, Canoga Park.

For tickets and reservations, call [phone].

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Photo:

(color) Members of two casts rehearse the opening number of ``42nd Street,'' produced by the Golden Performing Arts Center and presented the next two weekends at the Madrid Theatre in Canoga Park. Here, they strike the final pose.

Mark Kellam/Valley News